Self-cleaning tractor lug



Sept. 10, 1929. F. L.ZYBA 1,727,625

SELF CLEANING TRACTOR we Filed Nov. 18, 1927 Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES FRANK L. ZYBACH, OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA.

SELF-CLEANING TRACTOR LUG.

Application filed November 18, 1927. Serial No. 234,183.

My invention relates to traction wheel lugs and it has for its primary object the provision of a self-cleaning lug for removing soil and clay which accumulates on lug equipped wheels.

A second object of my invention is the provision. of novel features for dislodging clay from the lugs by mechanical means which are automatic in their operation during the travel oi the wheel.

A third object of my invention is the provision of a lug of extremely simple construction which may be easily attached to a wheel or as easily removed therefrom.

Having in view these objects and others which will be pointed out in the following description, I will now refer to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a wheel. showing the annular series of lugs on the near side of the wheel.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a flattened out portion of the wheel showing the relative arrangement of the two sets of lugs n the wheel.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of a single lug.

Figure 41 is an illustration showing the securing device for attaching the lug to the wheel.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of a modiiied -form of lug.

The lug shown in Figures 1 and 3 is made from a single strap of heavy steel. It in cludes a base portion and a triangular lug portion having sides 11 and 12 resting on the base portion 10. The end portion of the side 12 is bent into parallel relation with the base 10 forming a securing plate 18 which is rivetcd or welded or otherwise secured to the base 10. The strap is also slit and bent so as to form a tooth 1 1 projecting laterally from the base 10.

The lugs are secured to the wheel by means 0t fastening devices of the kinds shown in Figure 1-. In Figure 3 it will be seen that the base 10 of the lug is provided with a circular aperture 15 and with a slot 16, the aperture 15 being near the forward extremity of the base 10 and the slot 16 being within the triangular portion. The fastening device consists of an elongated head 17, a shank 18 having a teeth 19 at its lower extremity and a screw threaded portion 20. The aperture 15 is large enough to receive. the screw threaded portion 20 but it is too small to receive the shank 18 so that the shoulder at the lower extremity of the shank is seated on the surface of the base 10surrounding the aperture 15. The aperture 15 is provided also with a notch at one side as shown in Figure 3 for receiving the tooth 19 to prevent turning movein'entsof the base 10 when the parts are in place. The slot 16 is wide enough to receive the shank 18 and to permit the passage therethrough of the head 17 when the fastening device is turned so that the head 17 is aligned with the slot 16. The lugs are fastened to each other and to the wheel by passing the securing device first through the slot 16 of one lug, then through the aperture 15 of the adjacent lug and finally driving the screw threaded portion 20 into a suitable aperture in the wheel. hen the tooth 19 is seated in the notch, the head 17 will bein a plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the slot 16 to thus prevent displacement. I

The lug shown in Figures 1 and 3 is made by bending steel straps into the desired form. Strap steel has the advantage of being suiticiently resilient to resume its normal position after it passes out of contact with the soil, the resiliency of the steel being such as to throw oil any soil which adheres to the lugs. This material is, however, not the most desirable material for the lug itself and I have therefore designed a cast lug as shown Figure 5 which ,makes it possible to utilize the resiliency of a steel strap for throwing off the soil and to at the same time obtain the advantages of cast steel or iron in the lug itself. In this case the lug is cast into triangular shape having three sides 10, 11' and 12, the side 10' being extended to form a projection 13 whereby the lug may be secured by riveting or welding or the like to the steel strap 10. I In casting the lug shown in Figure 5 one side is closed at 21. The lug is provided with a slot 16 having the dimensions .and the functions of the slot 16 in the Figure 3 construction. It is to be understood, of course, that the base 10" is in all other respects similar to the base 10 and that it is provided with an aperture and with a tooth similar to the aperture 15 and the tooth 14 of the Figure 8 construction. The Figure 5 construction has the further advantage in that it is possible to arrange the straps 10 so that the ends of the adjacent straps are close together as shown in Figure 5.

The arrangement of the straps to the wheel and to each other is shown in Figure 2. Two annular series of straps 10 are secured to the rim of the wheel with an open space 22 between them. The point of each tooth 14 isopposite the peak of a lug on the adjacent series. During the move ment of the wheel the lugs are successively forced into engagement with the surface of the soil and as they engage the surface of the soil the resilient straps 10 are forced inwardly toward the rim of the wheel. The triangular shape of the lug itself is such that it readily sinks into the soil and it also releases any bits of soil which cling to it. As I soon as the lug passes out of engagement with'the soil, the resilient member 10 'resume s its normal position and forces loose any bits of soil which cling either to the lug or to its support. The lugs are arranged in two circumferential series in the relation shown in Figure 2. As the lug supports are moved toward and away from the wheel rim, the teeth 14 dis lodgeany soil which adheres to the wheel rim between the two sets of lugs. Since the teeth 14 are directly opposite the lugs, they are very effective in clearing off any soil adhering to the inner surface of the lug. It should also be noted that the strap 10 wears against the end portion of the adjacent strap and not against the wheel rim.

Having thus described my invention in such full, clear, and exact terms that its construction and operation willbe readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A wheel lug including a resilient strap adapted to be secured at one extremity thereof in tangential relation with a wheel, a lug on said strap atthe rear extremity thereof, means projecting within said lug and adapted to engage the wheel for limiting displacement of said strap and said lug.

2. A wheel lug including a resilient strap adapted to be secured at one extremity thereof in tangential relation with a wheel, a tooth projecting laterally from said strap, a. lug on said strap at the rear extremity thereof, and means projecting into said lug and adapted to engage the wheel for limiting displacement of said strap and said lu 3. A lug device for wheels, said lug device including a pair of resilient straps adapted to be secured at the forward extremities thereof in end to end relation and in tangential relation with the wheel, lugs projecting radially from said straps at the rear extremities thereof, the lug of the forward of said straps overlapping the forward portion of the rear'of said straps, and a securing device passing through the rearward portion of the forward of said straps and through the forward portion of the rearward of said straps and adapted to be anchored in the rim of the wheel.

4.,A traction wheel having two spaced circumferential series of lug devices, each of said lug devices comprising resilient straps rigidly secured at their forward extremities to said wheel and yieldably secured at their rear extremities to said wheel, lugs secured to said straps at the rear extremities thereof, and laterally projecting teeth on said straps, said teeth being each positioned in transverse alignment with a lug of the opposite of said two series of lug devices and substantially spanning the space between said two series of lug devices.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK LLZYBACH. 

